Friday, June 11, 2010

Eminem's recently-leaked soon to be released album, Recovery, has been getting its fair share of spins at the ol' Casa de Ivan not because I particularly like it, more so because I'm still trying to figure it out. It just doesn't feel like an Eminem record. It's not enough to say that it's missing Dina Rae on track 13. The southern-ish production on the record raises an eyebrow, as do the features, boasting the likes of Kobe, Pink and Rihanna. "No Love", the Just Blaze-produced single-to-be (just a guess), has also been a topic of discussion due to the track's, um, "eclectic" sample. Just Blaze had the cojones to toy around with "What is Love", a popular 90s club track by the Trinidadian singer Haddaway. You might remember the song best from the 1998 film A Night at the Roxbury. The first thing that came to mind when I heard "No Love" was the image of Eminem and Lil Wayne riding in a car bopping their heads left and right to the music - a pause-worthy scene to say the least.

A lot of people have been giving Just Blaze some flak for the sample. It's understandable. But hey, at the same time, the record is kinda hot. And if you know anything about Just Blaze, it's this: he doesn't give a shit what you think. Want proof? Check out his Ustream page when he's live! To add some fuel to the fire, I've come up with a short list of ridiculous songs that Blaze should consider sampling just to piss some more people off. Who knows, Justin - or any other producer who wants to give it a shot - might actually do a good job with them. Here we go:

"This is Your Night" by AmberAnother Night at the Roxbury track, this annoying dance record is a sure shot to get people in the club throwin' them bows - at the DJ! Aim for the throat, please!

"Beautiful Life" by Ace of BaseThe opening piano riff here is 100% sample fodder. Everything else about this track makes me want to jump in front of a moving truck.

Memories come flooding back. Before my record buying days started with Doggystyle & Ice T's Classic Collection, this kind of music was the soundtrack to part of my life. Whatever music my brother listened to was all I had. Some of these were UK smashes. Ace Of Base were kinda cool back then...

But Europop and Hip Hop dont mix. Please dont even joke Ivan, for the wack producers will follow Just in droves and then you wont be laughing!

Just Blaze is cool though. Just leave it alone now. Please. Now go work with Jay again. Not Electronica, Jay-Z.

"It just doesn't feel like an Eminem record...The southern-ish production on the record raises an eyebrow, as do the features, boasting the likes of Kobe, Pink and Rihanna."

Couldn't agree more. The weird thing is the guy who consecutively shits on pop is making... a pop record. Who's to say Em wouldn't have been going after someone like Pink on Relapse 2? I still haven't actually heard Recovery yet (I'm going off the track listing so far.) Man, I was excited to hear he was ditching the Relapse 2 idea (and the middle-eastern voice), but I'm not sure if I'm ready to hear a sell-out Em. The suburban white kid in me still wants to hear him rappin' about "homosexuals and Vicodin."